


Winter

by HASA_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: 3rd Age - The Stewards, Characters - Friendship, General, Plot - Good pacing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-26
Updated: 2015-06-26
Packaged: 2018-04-06 06:49:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4212066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HASA_Archivist/pseuds/HASA_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a cold winter morning, and Aragorn considers life, the universe and everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Winter

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

This story is based on a combination of the first ride with my new horse Rowan, and the  
memories of the new-years-morning rides I used to make when I was younger...

It is a tribute to Lomion, _mellon_ of my youth, and a welcome to Rowan, my new _Roheryn_.   
  


* * *

  
  
_**"Winter"** _   


Aragorn sighed happily and drew his coat closer about him. Snow was slowly layering onto it, but inside the coat his body warmth had created a pleasantly snug little cave, lined with lambs' wool and safe from the frost.

The hooves of his horse made little sound in the thick layer of snow, and besides its  
breathing, the forest was eerily quiet.

All around them snow was piled up in small mountains where it had fallen off the branches,  
or where the trees stood further apart. Great old trees they were, oak and beech and the  
occasional fir. Far apart, but their crowns shielded the forest floor of direct light.  
A real path didn't exist, but Aragorn found his way by trusting on his own intuition and  
on that of his horse. They made no real speed this way, but that wasn't really needed either.

He wasn't in a hurry.  
  
Snow fell, but not with the fierceness of the past few days. Rather the snowflakes drifted   
down gently, as if it wanted to assure him it was no longer going to keep him cooped up   
inside. Both Aragorn and the horse felt fresh and brightly awake. They were only a few   
hours North from Rivendell, but it was early still and they would make the first guardpost   
of the Rangers at mid-afternoon at this speed.  
  
But at the moment Aragorn cared about none of that. The light was fresh with morning and   
snow and yet shuttered by the trees, and he was outside after days of hiding inside from   
the storms, and he was riding a new horse.  
  
The horse Arwen had given to him.  
  
“This is _Mellon_ …” she had said softly. “May he be with you when   
I cannot.”  
  
So he had named the horse Roheryn. Horse of the lady. It was bold and strong, and its confident manner pleased Aragorn. Presently the horse seemed just as delighted and excited   
as its rider. It chewed on the bit and snorted at the snowflakes that fell past its head.  
  
Aragorn smiled softly and stroked the dark grey manes with a gloved hand.  
  
“Do you miss the Evenstar too, Roheryn?”  
  
For the horse had been with Arwen since its birth, and had been hesitant to turn away from   
her at their departure from Rivendell.  
  
Almost as hesitant as Aragorn himself had been.  
  
Roheryn rumbled softly, moving his head as if to encouraging the stroking hand of his rider.   
Aragorn obliged with fondness. Already his sadness and bleakness about riding away from his   
Love were fading, for he was young and healthy, and his command was needed in the North.   
Most of all, Arwen had kissed him, lightly like blossom on a summers' breeze, and the   
thought that his love for her was answered elated him beyond words.  
  
Suddenly Roheryn froze. The ranger startled and turned his attention to what had spooked   
the horse, but quickly found it was not frightened at all. It held its head high, the ears pricked up at something in the distance, and it gave an excited snort.  
  
Aragorn followed the gaze of his mount and finally found what thrilled it so. A couple   
of deer moved calmly through the forest, stopping now and then to nibble at the bark of a tree.  
  
Finally, when the deer had gone, Roheryn leaped forward with breathless thrill, and   
began to walk again. Aragorn laughed softly and patted the broad neck.  
  
“You and I – we're going to be just fine.”

 

  


* * *

  
**END**   
  
_Feedback is the only reward a writer gets.  
Please review and tell me if (and why) you did (or did not) enjoy this. _

Thank you. 


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